Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Second straight one-hitter
Rotowire
Wheeler (2-3) earned the win Thursday against the Reds, allowing one hit and four walks over six scoreless innings. He struck out eight.
Wheeler's allowed just one hit in consecutive starts, as he's held opponents scoreless in 13.1 consecutive innings, posting 16 strikeouts in that span. The 33-year-old right-hander has arguably been the top fantasy starting option early in the season -- he lowered his ERA to 1.93 with a 0.88 WHIP and 46:11 K:BB through six starts (37.1 innings). Wheeler will look to keep rolling in his next outing, tentatively scheduled as a road matchup Tuesday against the Angels.
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Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Flirts with no-hitter vs. White Sox
Rotowire
Wheeler (1-3) collected the victory Saturday versus the White Sox, yielding just one hit and two walks over 7.1 shutout innings. He notched eight strikeouts.
Wheeler carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning before Korey Lee broke it up when he slashed a ball down the right-field line and just under first baseman Bryce Harper's glove. Phillies manager Rob Thomson then immediately came to get Wheeler, who finished with 106 pitches over his 7.1 brilliant frames. It was somehow Wheeler's first win of the season even though he's been one of the best pitchers in baseball with a 2.30 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 38:7 K:BB across 31.1 innings. Wheeler's next scheduled outing in Cincinnati shapes up to be a more difficult one, but he's matchup-proof.
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Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Another 10-strikeout loss
Rotowire
Wheeler (0-3) took the loss Sunday, allowing five runs (four earned) on five hits and three walks across five innings against Pittsburgh. He struck out 10.
Despite Wheeler's winless record, he's been putting together a strong start to 2024. He's gotten just six combined runs of support from his offense and has notched double-digit K's twice in four starts. Wheeler held the Pirates to just one run through five innings Sunday but let three batters on to start the sixth and was pulled without registering an out in the frame after surrendering a grand slam to Jack Suwinski. He's tied for the second-most quality starts in MLB and boasts an impressive 11.3 K/9 over 24.0 innings. Wheeler's next start is tentatively lined up to come against the White Sox on Saturday.
Wheeler (0-2) took the loss Tuesday against the Cardinals, allowing three runs on six hits and a walk while striking out five over seven innings.
The Phillies failed to give Wheeler any run support despite getting 11 baserunners during the game. Wheeler was unable to keep the Cardinals off the scoreboard forever. He shut them out through three frames before Nolan Gorman took him deep in the fourth. The Cardinals then padded their lead in the fifth with two more runs after opening the inning with a pair of hits. If you look past the record, Wheeler has been excellent thus far with a 1.89 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 20:2 K:BB in 19 innings. He'll look for his first win of the year in his next start, which looks to come Sunday against the Pirates.
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Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Fans 10 in tough loss
Rotowire
Wheeler (0-1) took the loss Wednesday, giving up three runs (one earned) on three hits and a walk over six innings as the Phillies fell 4-1 to the Reds. He struck out 10.
A Bryson Stott error and a hit by pitch contributed to a two-run third inning by Cincy, and Philly's offense never woke up in a game delayed by nearly seven hours due to rain. Wheeler still delivered his second straight quality start to begin the season despite the weather, and he generated 17 swinging strikes among his 93 pitches. The veteran right-hander will take a 15:1 K:BB through 12 innings into his next start, which lines up to come in St. Louis early next week.
Wheeler came away with a no-decision Friday, scattering five hits over six scoreless innings in a 9-3 loss to Atlanta. He struck out five without walking a batter.
The right-hander had an impressive beginning to his campaign against a very tough opponent, but the Phillies' bullpen let him down after Wheeler left the mound with a 2-0 lead. He tossed 63 of 89 pitches for strikes and generated 18 swinging strikes, and after fanning 212 batters last year -- the second time in his career he's struck out 200 or more -- Wheeler seems poised to rack up an impressive whiff total again in 2024.
Phillies' Zack Wheeler: Atlanta-Philadelphia game postponed
Rotowire
Wheeler and the Phillies won't face Atlanta on Thursday after the game was postponed due to forecasted rain in Philadelphia.
The season opener for both clubs has been rescheduled for Friday at 3:05 p.m. ET. Wheeler, who had been slated to take the hill Thursday, will presumably be bumped back one day in the schedule to go head-to-head against Atlanta's Opening Day starter, Spencer Strider.
Manager Rob Thomson announced Sunday that Wheeler will be Philadelphia's starter for Opening Day against Atlanta on March 28, Alex Coffey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
The right-hander inked a three-year, $126 million extension with the Phillies in early March and will be their first pitcher to officially take the mound in 2024. Wheeler had a 3.61 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 212:39 K:BB across 192 innings last season, and he's looked like himself through three spring starts with two runs allowed and a 9:3 K:BB in nine frames.
